Seat attachment



March 16, 1965 A. c. HOVEN ETAL 3,173,723

SEAT ATTACHMENT Filed J 8 1964 lillllllll =5.

IN VE RS:

ALFRED c. HOVEN WALTER E. NORDMARK United States Patent 3,173,723 SEAT ATTACHMENT Alfred (J. Haven and Walter E. Nordmarh, Grand Rapids, Mich, assignors to American Eeating Company, Grand Rapids, Mich, a corporation of New Jersey Filed June 8, 196%, Ser. No. 373,2tl9 Claims. (Cl. 297-451) This invention relates to a seat attachment, and more particularly to a chair or the like equipped with a seat panel united to a top frame assembly.

An object of the invention is to provide a unique arrangement for connecting a seat panel and a top frame assembly. A further object is to provide an assembly of a seat panel and top frame in which a minimum of fastening means is employed and by which ready, sturdy union of the parts is effected. A still further object is to provide for the assembly of a seat panel and top frame in which a sturdy union is accomplished through the use of rivets or the like which are concealed. Other specific objects and advantages will appear as the specification proceeds.

The invention is shown in an illustrative embodiment, by the accompanying drawing, in which- FIGURE 1 is a perspective View of a chair embodying our invention; PEG. 2, a perspective view of a seat panel which is turned upside down; FIG. 3, a perspective view of the chair top frame assembly also in upside down position for assembly with the seat panel shown in FIG. 2; FIG. 4, a perspective view similar to FIG. 3 but showing the top frame assembly united to the seat panel; and FIG. 5, a broken bottom view of the assembly seat panel and top frame assembly.

In the illustration given, It} designates a chair base equipped with legs 11. Mounted upon the base it) is a seat panel 12 which may be formed of plastic, metal, composition material, or any suitable material. Secured to the seat panel 12 is a top frame assembly 13.

The seat panel 12 is shown in upside down position in FIG. 2. The panel, which may be formed of polyethylene or other plastics or other suitable material, is shown provided at its forward end with a frame 14 having a transverse member 25, and at the end of the transverse member 15 a pair of sockem 16. Adjacent each of the sockets i6 is a rearwardly-extending Wall 17. Also, extending rearwardly from each of the sockets 16 is a brace rib 18. At the rear of the seat panel, we provide a cross rib 19 which is provided with enlarged or thickened portions 20 apertured at 21 to receive attachment rivets 22. Also, the cross rib is provided on either side with recesses or notches 23. The front wall or panel 24- is also provided with recesses 24:: which are aligned with recesses 23. Reinforcing strips 25 extend between the recesses 23 and 24a, and reinforcing strips 26 extend forwardly from the recesses 23.

The chair top frame assembly comprises a pair of tubes 27 which have a vertically-extending portion receiving a seat back 28, and have forwardly-extending portions terminating in rounded or pointed ends 29. The ends 29 are adapted to fit snugly within the sockets 16 of the seat panel 12. Carried by the forwardly-extending tube portions is a plate member 36 anchored to the tubes 27 by sleeves 31 and 32 and equipped with a pivot tube 33 adapted to be received within the seat base 10.

The cross bar 34 is welded to the plate member 39 and is adapted to lie within the cross rib 19 of seat panel 12 in abutting relation therewith, and the cross bar 34 is rovided with a pair of rivet openings aligned with the rivet openings 21 of the seat panel 12.

In the assembly of the seat panel 12 with the chair top assembly, the tubes 27 are moved forwardly to bring their points 29 within the sockets 16 of the seat panel 12 and with the rear portions of the tubes resting within the ice recesses 2-3 and 24a of the cross rib 19 and front Wall 24 respectively. The cross bar 34 lies flush against the forward side of cross rib 19, as shown best in FIG. 4. The rivets 22 may now be used to complete the union of the parts, as shown best in FIG. 5.

With the foregoing structure, as illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5, a sturdy union of the parts is brought about by using only two rivets or the like, while at the same time the fastening means are concealed. The forward ends of the tubes 27 are locked tightly within the sockets 16, and the rear portions of the tubes are held tightly by the union between the cross bar 34 and the cross rib 19. Assembly is thus accomplished in a minimum of time. The tubes 27 engage substantially throughout their length reinforced portions of the seat panel while at the same time being rigidly united to the panel. The rigid metal plate 39 is anchored firmly upon the metal tubes 27, and at the same time the tubes are thus buttressed by the side walls 17 and the apertured walls 19 and 24.

While in the foregoing specification we have shown a specific structure in considerable detail for the purpose of illustrating an embodiment of our invention, it will be understood that such detail or details may be varied widely by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of our invention.

We claim:

1. in combination, a seat panel having a frame member at its forward underside providing a pair of sockets and having at its rear underside a frame providing a cross rib and a rear wall, said rib and wall being provided with a pair of aligned recesses, a chair top assembly equipped with a pair of tubes terminating in ends fitting said sockets, said tubes being also received within said frame recesses, said assembly also being provided with a cross bar abutting said cross rib and the two cross ribs being provided with aligned openings, and fastening means extending through said openings to complete the union of said panel and top assembly.

2. The structure of claim 1 in which said seat panel is formed of plastic, and said cross rib is provided with thickened portions about said openings.

3. In combination, a plastic seat panel having a frame member at its forward underside providing a pair of sockets and having at its rear underside a frame providing a cross rib and a rear wall, said rib and wall being provided with a pair of aligned recesses, and a chair top assembly equipped with a pair of tubes terminating in points fitting said sockets, said tubes being also received within said frame recesses, said assembly being provided with a cross bar abut-ting said cross rib of said seat panel, and the two cross bars being provided with aligned rivet openings, and rivets extending through said openings to complete the union of said panel and top assembly.

4. The structure of claim 3 in which said seat panel is provided with reinforcing strips extending over said tubes.

5. The structure of claim 3 in which said seat panel is provided with forwardly-extending walls adjacent said sockets and bearing against said tubes to brace said tubes against lateral movement.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,784,769 3/57 Fisher 297-443 2,970,635 2/ 61 Fields 297239 3,000,669 9/61 Silverman 297-451 3,111,344 11/63 Hoven et a1 297-451 FOREIGN PATENTS 528,654 8/56 Canada. 1,211,072 3/60 France.

FRANK B. SHERRY, Primary Examiner. 

1. IN COMBINATION, A SEAT PANEL HAVING A FRAME MEMBER AT ITS FORWARD UNDERSIDE PROVIDING A PAIR OF SOCKETS AND HAVING AT ITS REAR UNDERSIDE A FRAME PROVIDING A CROSS RIB AND A REAR WALL, SAID RIB AND WALL BEING PROVIDED WITH A PAIR OF ALIGNED RECESSES, A CHAIR TOP ASSEMBLY EQUIPPED WITH A PAIR OF TUBES TERMINATING IN ENDS FITTING SAID SOCKETS, SAID TUBES BEING ALSO RECEIVED WITHIN SAID FRAME RECESSES, SAID ASSEMBLY ALSO BEING PROVIDED WITH A CROSS BAR ABUTTING SAID CROSS RIB AND THE TWO CROSS RIBS BEING PROVIDED WITH ALIGNED OPENINGS, AND FASTENING MEANS EXTENDING THROUGH SAID OPENINGS TO COMPLETE THE UNION OF SAID PANEL AND TO ASSEMBLY. 